All You Need to Know about Retaining Rings

Retaining rings are essential components used in many mechanical systems to secure parts in place, often acting as a shoulder to hold bearings, gears, or other components on a shaft or inside a housing. Finding use across automotive, aerospace, and industrial settings, retaining rings come in numerous designs to suit specific applications and needs. In this blog, we will provide an overview of some of the most common options on the market and their respective uses, helping you determine the best option for your requirements.

Common Types of Retaining Rings

There are many types of retaining rings on the market, each serving specific purposes based on their design and application. In the following section, we will provide a brief introduction to some of the most notable examples.

External Retaining Rings

External retaining rings are designed with an open-ended circular shape, allowing them to snap onto a groove on the outside of a shaft to establish a shoulder. Once in place, the ring will prevent any axial movement of components that are mounted. External retaining rings are quite popular in automotive and industrial applications, particularly in engines and gearboxes, where they hold gears, bearings, and pulleys securely in place.

Generally, these particular options will be chosen in such settings for their ability to withstand high loads and their easy installation. For example, they can be installed or removed with basic tools like pliers, making them a convenient choice in applications where maintenance or part replacement is frequently needed.

Push-On Retaining Rings

As a variation of the external retaining ring, push-on types feature a design that allows for installation on a shaft without the presence of a groove. Instead, sharp teeth on the component will grip onto the surface of the shaft when pushed on, ensuring a secure fit while maintaining ease of removal. These rings are generally used in lighter-duty applications as a result of their convenient use and basic capabilities, examples including securing low-torque assemblies or smaller components in electronics and home appliances.

Internal Retaining Rings

While similar to external options, Internal retaining rings are specifically designed to fit inside a bore or housing. When installed on a groove, they will create a shoulder that prevents any internal components from moving axially, ensuring stable operation even under high-stress conditions. Such rings are also known for being quite compact, making them an ideal solution for space constraints. Generally, internal retaining rings will be used for securing bearings inside housings or holding pistons within cylinders.

Bowed Retaining Rings

Bowed retaining rings are curved or bowed in shape, which allows them to apply continuous pressure against the components they are to secure. This unique feature makes them especially effective for applications requiring a tight fit or added flexibility, such components commonly being found within electrical and mechanical assemblies. These rings are also able to accommodate variations in tolerance and temperature, as well as handle dynamic loads under the force of vibration. As a result, they also are popular in motors and pumps.

Side Mount Retaining Rings

As the last variation we will discuss in this blog, side mount retaining rings are engineered for applications where it is not possible to slide a ring onto a shaft or bore from the end. Instead, such components are installed by sliding them sideways into a groove, which is beneficial in situations where other components or obstacles make traditional ring installation difficult.

Conclusion

Whether you are in the market for external retaining rings, internal retaining rings, or other various forms of mechanical hardware, look no further than Logistics 3Sixty and our expansive product selection. Here, we offer access to a plethora of items that trace back to leading manufacturers from across the globe, everything being readily available for purchase at any time. With a dedication to meeting and exceeding expectations, we provide tailored procurement services where our staff will use your various requirements and restrictions to craft the most optimal purchasing options for your consideration. We can even meet time constraints and other pressing needs with care and efficiency, so never hesitate to get in touch with our staff to see how we can serve you.